New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-20
A NEW-ENGLAND NOVEL.

GwO GENTLEMEN OF BOSTON. A Novel l2mo, PIP.
Ash. Ticknor * Co.
The anonymous author Of 1.-Two Gentlemen OF
Boston tells the story. in the person OF the
heroine and with so many feminine characteristics
that there would be no hesitation in attributing
the book to a woman even If 1t had been cast IN
different FORM The abiding interest in all matters
of feminine dress exhibited the most exciting
situations provokes frequent smile. and
II may be truly said that although Cor
della Rivers passed through many trials and faced
many surprises, both painful and joyous, never
once in the long narrative Of these vicissitudes
does she forget what she had on. 1t IL strictly
womans estimate of the Two Gentlemen Of Boston
which entertains US through the novels woman's
estimate of masterful Wyndham with his enormous
we'd force. his gravity and his piercing eyes
and of large. handsome, selfish, accomplished,
heart breaking Clifford Cloud, of whom Cordelia
remarks that there was something in his
masculine beauty which reminded one OF Henry
VIII. This comparison is made after we have
learned to know him pretty we'll. and it affects us
rs singuarly happy stroke, better than page OF
analytical description. No man would have ideal
lied either of these two characters in the same way
or TO the same extent. They are interesting and
attractive; one does not hesitate to call them
well-drawn; but in point of fact they are
as unreal both in temperament and
actions as the persons IN romantic
meIodrama. With the women on the contrary the
author is entirely at home. No man could have
portrayed az she does certain minor vices of
-selfshness in the family, cruelty In small
things readiness to exude venom, aud adamantine
impenetrability to reason. Aunt Beals and Mrs.
John Wyndham betray the sympathetic touch OF one
Of their own sex. Perhaps we may as well confess
that it would not have occurred to o man to
IN npaaant husv nhilanthrOpist and YefOrmer
like Mrs. Walters q type of all that Is lovely.
There 10 such thing as being uncomfortably good.
Cordeia herself does not leave q distinct impress
sion. She is girl of amlabIe instincts and weak
+. nature, always yielding to the will OF somebody
else despotoally ruled grossly llltreated. invov-
ing herself IN countless troubles through mental
cowardice and much tossed abou. by the Two Gen.
tlemeu. She does not develop character as the
story goes Even after she has married one gen.
tlcmnu she has hardly force enough to repel the
advances of the other; and while we are glad that
somebody takes her out of the way Of mischief at
last, we cannot feel that she deserves the good
fortune that befalls her. The choice OF such q
limp aud coorless young lady as the heroine Is not
quite satisfactory from an artistic point OF view
ret she serves as effective foil for the stronger
characters by whom she IL surrounded. Among
the stronger characters however, we do
not reckon Mrs Rivers, whose abnormal rigor
and heartlessuess are not forcibe but only
oyerstraned, and whose CONGESTION with the story.
from first TO last is somewhat fantastic aud feeble.
The scene In which Cordoba recognizes her in "A
Winters Tale" comes near being good. but does
not quite reach the desired effect The most life
Ike and entertaining of all the percentages Is one
who has little or nothing TO do with the plot This
y rustic, selfreliant, loud-voiced. warm-hearted
oalista Comery, typical Yankee young